Raising up

     I am  a pretty blessed man on a lot of counts, perhaps too numerous to mention. One of my many blessings is my daughter. I get the opportunity to speak with my adult daughter quite regularly. She calls me, it's somewhat of a routine but never taken for granted. I love it. She is a truly beautiful person too in every way you might judge. 

      Many years ago this sainted young girl went on a retreat of sorts, a Cursillo if by some other name. I picked her up from her 'weekend' and she was aflutter with so much that she felt, that she had to say.  Her wisdom and faith at such a young age was profound. I had to note that she had been gifted with grace and knowledge that many people never attain.

      I am reminded of the Genesis stories. Was ancient man capable of understanding more than that story conveyed?  The truth is there, but not fully revealed. Humanity was not capable of understanding the scientific truths of creation any more than they would have understood the switching on of a light bulb. It would have all been too complex and seemed liked voodoo, magic or gibberish.  God, and by extension, the Spirit, has not revealed everything to us. In time we learn and are capable of understanding still knowing that God is the driving force or "The Force" if you will.  There is much more that remains an enigma to us.  I can think of God's forgiveness and unbounded love that at times seems unfathomable to me, to us. 

      We may not fully understand until we die. Perhaps even then we'll realize it isn't that important anyway. What is important is that we love.

      I am thrilled that my 'little girl' of 38 years old has grasped some significant truths about God and love at an early age. These are things I can only strive to learn and emulate. Like I said there are others that will never 'get it'.  That is a cross for her to bare and for all of us to bare as we try to raise up each other, even the ones that seem to be willfully ignorant or choose not to 'get it'. With a spirit of love and help from the Advocate that Christ spoke of, we will endeavor to show what is truly important, love, compassion, mercy beyond comprehension and forgiveness as we have been forgiven. 

       For less arrogance, more love and more 'raising up' of each other, we pray.

John 16:1-15

‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

 ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.